Apparatus for controlling characteristics of a liquid



Jan. 23, 1934. z, J, L ET AL 7 1,944,243-

APPARATUS, FOR CONTROLLING CHARACTERISTICS OF A LIQUID Ofiginal FiledDec. 21, 1928 Patented Jan. 23, 1934' APPARATUS FOR, CONTROLLINGCHARAC-' TERISTIGS OF A LIQUID Zoltan J. Kegi, Hollywood, (JaliL, andHenry M. Larsen, La Grange, Ill., assignors to Western Electricfiompany, Incorporated, New Yor N. Y., a corporation of New York 7Original application December 21, 1929, Serial No. 327,578. Divided andthis application May 19, 1932. Serial No. 912,256

7 Mai. -(Cil. 197-165) This invention relates to apparatus forcontrolling charaeteristics of a liquid and more particularly toapparatus for controlling the viscosity and specific gravity of aliquid, and is a di ll vision of our copending application, Serial No.

327,578, filed'December 21, 1928. In dealing with certain liquids, it isessential that certain predetermined characteristics be maintained inorder to obtain the desired results. Thus, for example, in dealing withwire enamel compounds; it has been found that certain combinations ofviscosity and specific gravity characteristics are essential to theattainment of satisfactory .results. It has heretofore been the itpractice in some instances to employ separate means for controlling eachindividual characteristic of the liquid, which practice is obviouslyslow and necessitates the use of expensive testing and controllingequipment.

The object of this invention is to provide an inexpensive and eiilcientapparatus for controlling characteristics of a liquid.

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The invention contemplates the provision of means for providing aconstant static head of the liquid from which the fluid is suppliedthrough an orifice of predetermined size to a container supported by aspiral spring tube through which the liquid is discharged. Thearrangement is such that variations in viscosity and specific gravityresult in predetermined deflections of the spring tube whereby suchvariations may be indicated on a calibrated scale by means of a pointerattached to the tube. Contacts con- 35 controlling circuits whichinclude valves for admitting thinners or fillers to the liquid tomaintain the desired characteristics.

It is believed that a clear understanding of the invention will be hadfrom the following detailed description of one specific embodimentthereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which thesingle figure is an elevational view, partly diagrammatic, of anapparatus embodying the features of the invention. 5 The invention isherein illustrated and described in connection with an apparatus forcontrolling the viscosity and specific gravity of wire enamel compounds.It should be understood, however, that the novel features of theinvention are capable of numerous other applications within the scope ofthe appended claims.

Referring now to the drawing, it will be observed that a tank 5containing a supply of the compound is provided with an outlet pipe 6through which the compound discharges into a trolled by the tubedeflections may serve to close funnel-shaped receptacle 7 under thecontrol of a suitable valve 8. Pipes 9 and 10 are connected to the tank5 for supplying thinners and fillers to the compound under the controlof valves 11 and 12 whereby the desired characteristics of 99 thecompound are maintained. A vertically disposed pipe 13 is connected atits upper end with the receptacle 7 and communicates at its lower endwith a horizontally disposed return pipe 14 which may be connected tothe supply tank 5 99 in any suitable manner (not shown). The pipe 13 issupported by means of a flanged collar 15 secured to a suitablesupporting frame 16. The upper portion of the pipe 13 extends into thereceptacle 17 so as to provide an-overfiow outlet W by which thecompound in the receptacle is maintained at a constant level, asindicated by the numeral 17. By this arrangement it will be understoodthat a constant static head of the compound is maintained within thereceptacle 7. it

The receptacle 7 is provided with an adiustable outlet in the form of anozzle 18 through which the compound flows into a container 19 under thecontrol of an adjustable valve 20. The lower portion of the container 19tapers downwardly to a reduced portion 21 which serves as a restrictedoutlet for the compound. The container 19 is supported upon a spiralspring tube 22 which is connected at one end'to the reduced portion 21and communicates at its opposite end with the return pipe 14. The spiraltube 22 is secured at its lower end to the frame 16 by means of aflanged collar 23.

The container 19 is vertically movable in bracket 24 secured to the pipe13. Due to the W resiliency of the spiral tube 22, it will be obviousthat the container 19 is movable by the force of gravity into aplurality of positions in accordance with variations in the specificgravity and quantity of the compound contained therein. It M will alsobe understood that thespiral tube 22 is deflected in accordance with themovement of the container 19 whereby the extent of movementof thecontainer maybe indicated upon a calibrated scale 26 by a cooperatingpointer 27 secured to the upper portion of the spiral tube 22.

An electrical contact member 28 .carried by an 9 arm 29 secured to theupper end of the spiral tube 22 is arranged to engage a cooperatingcontact member 30 upon a predetermined upward movement of the container19, thus establishing an electrical circuit through the winding of asolenoid 31. The completion of the circuit just described causes theenergization of the solenoid 31 whereby it operates in a well knownmanner to open the valve 12 for supplying a filler to the,

compound. Upon a predetermined downward movement of the container 19,the contact 28 engages a cooperating contact 32, thus establishing anelectrical circuit through the winding of a solenoid 33 which operatesthe valve 11 for controlling the supply of a thinner to the compound.The contacts 30 and 32 are secured to and insulated from arms 35 and 36,respectively, which may be adjustably attached to a vertically disposedbar 37 secured to the supporting frame 16.

In the operation of the above described apparatus the valve 8 ismanually adjusted'so as to maintain a cons ant static head of thecompound in the recept le 7.\ The valve 20 is also manually adjuste sothat under normal conditions the compound in the container 19 ismaintained at a constant level indicated by the dotted line 38. Theapparatus is so constructed that when the compound is of the desiredviscosity and specific gravity, the contact 28 will assume a positionsubstantially midway between the contacts 30 and 32. As the specificgravity of the compound increases, the container 19 moves downwardlydue-to the force of gravity. This downward movement of the containercauses a deflection of the spiral tube 22 and the extent of thedeflection and therefore the extent of the specific gravity variation isindicated upon the calibrated scale 26 by the pointer 27. Upon thespecific gravity of the compound increasing above a certainpredetermined value the contact 28 engages the contact 32, therebyestablishing an electrical circuit through the winding of the solenoid33 which operates the valve 11 to admit a thinner to the compound todecrease its specific gravity. As the specific gravity of the compounddecreases, the. container 19 moves upwardly, due to the resiliency ofthe spiral tube 22, which movement of the container is indicated uponthe calibrated scale .26 by the pointer 27. Upon the specific gravity ofthe compound decreasing below a certain predetermined value, the contact28 engages the contact 30, thereby establishing an electrical circuitthrough the winding of the solenoid 31 which operates the valve 12 foradmitting a filler to the compound to increase its specific gravity.

It will be understood that the viscosity of the compound determines itsrate of flow from the container 19 through the spiral tube 22. Thesupply nozzle 18 and the outlet tube 22 are so designed that upon theviscosity of the compound increasing, its rate of fiow through thespiral tube 22 decreases below its rate of flow through the supplynozzle 18. This causes an increase in the quantity of the compoundretained in the container 19 which results in a downward movement of thecontainer due to the force of gravity. Upon a continued downwardmovement of the container 19, the contact 28 engages the contact 32,-thereby establishing an electrical circuit through the 'winding of thesolenoid 33 which thereupon operates the valve 11 to admit a thinner tothe compound to decrease its viscosity. In a similar manner, as theviscosity of the compound decreases; its rate of flow through the spiraltube 22 increases above its rate of flow through the supply nozzle 18.This causes a decrease in the quantity of the compound retained in thecontainer 19 whereupon the container moves upwardly due to theresiliency or the tube 22. Upon a continued upward movement of thecontainer, the contact 28 engages the contact 30,

thereby establishing an electrical circuit through the winding of thesolenoid 31 which thereupon operates to admit a filler to the compoundto increase its viscosity. With the liquids in connection with whichthis control apparatus is used, the viscosity and specific gravity bothvary in the same sense; that is, either increase or decrease in value,and thus it is apparent that the apparatus responds to the combinedefiect of the variation of both the viscosity and specific gravity. Thusit will be obvious that the improved apparatus provides a simple'andeconomical means for controlling various characteristics of compounds orfluids.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificembodiment herein illustrated and described, but is capable of numerousother applications within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for controlling the viscosity of a liquid, a liquidcontainer, means for varying the height of the liquid in the containerin accordance with variations in viscosity of the liquid, and means forselectively adding liquids of greater or less viscosity in accordancewith the height of the liquid in the container to keep the viscosity ofthe liquid constant.

2. In an apparatus for controlling the viscosity of a liquid, a constantliquid level tank; a relatively short outlet device therefor forresisting the fiow ,of liquid therefrom dynamically, a container forreceiving the liquid, a relatively long outlet device for said containerfor restricting the fiow of liquid therefrom in accordance with itsviscosity, and means for controlling the viscosity of the liquid inaccordance with the height of the liquid in the container.

3. In an apparatus for controlling a characteristic of a liquid, aliquid container, constant pressure means for supplying liquid to thecontainer at a predetermined rate, a resilient tube for supporting thecontainer and regulating the fiow of liquid therefrom in accordance withsaid characteristic and means responsive to the position ofthe-container for controlling said characteristic of the liquid.

4. In an apparatus for controlling the viscosity and specific gravity ofa compound, a tank for holding the compound, a plurality of pipes forconducting various liquids into the tank to vary the viscosity andspecific gravity of the compound, a container, means for conductingliquid from the tank to the container, said container being movable inresponse to the viscosity and specific gravity of the compound, andmeans responsive to the movement of the container for controlling theamounts of the liquids conducted by the pipes into the tank.

5. In an apparatus for controlling the viscosity of a liquid, a liquidreceiving vessel, a pipe leading to said vessel for supplying a liquidof less viscosity than that in the vessel, a second pipe leading to thevessel for supplying a liquid of greater viscosity than that in thevessel, and means responsive to viscosity for controlling the amounts ofliquids supplied by said pipes.

6. In an apparatus for controlling the viscosity of a liquid, a constantlevel receiving vessel,

a pipe leading to said vessel for supplying a liquid of less viscositythan that in the vessel, a second pipe leading to the vessel forsupplying a liquid of greater viscosity than that in the vessel, amovable container for receiving liquid from the constant level vessel, aresilient, helical tube for supporting the container and forming anoutlet therefor, a valve in each of the pipes leading to the vessel, andmeans responsive to the position of the movable. containerfor'controlling said valves.

7. In an apparatus for controlling the viscosity of a liquid, a constantlevel receiving vessel,

a pipe leading to said vessel for supplying a liquid of less viscositythan that in the vessel, a second pipe leading to the vessel forsupplying a liquid of greater viscosity than that in the vessel, a

ZOL'I'AN J. KEGL. HENRY M. LARSEN.

